Boost for PH football as German coach arrives

PSC chairman Ritchie Garcia signed the memorandum of agreement that paves the way for the arrival of Thomas Roy, a former goalkeeping coach of the German national women’s team. Jerome Ascano

GERMANY has further strengthened its ties with Philippine football when its Federal Foreign Office arranged the trip of a football coach in Thomas Roy to the country through a pact with the Philippine Sports Commission.

Roy, a former goalkeeping coach of the German national women’s team and a Uefa license holder at the Hennes Weisweiler Academy in Cologne, will be conducting football activities that will contribute to the development of football in the country.

Roy will arrive in the country next month.

The move was formalized with a signing of a memorandum agreement between German Ambassador Dr. Joachim Heidorn and PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia on Friday.

Also witnessing the signing are Philippine Football Federation president Mariano Araneta, secretary general Edwin Gastanes, and Philippine Azkals head coach Hans Michael Weiss, a German himself.

German coaches are no stranger to local football as Weiss has been instrumental in the rise of the Azkals as a force to reckon with in Asian football.

Under the agreement, Roy will be advising the PFF in coaches’ training, creating football programs centered on youth football, conducting seminars for coaches, and establishing a youth competition system, among others.